Over the last three years, we have participated and even donated items or supplies to other organizations that work with the same type of families, and in many cases, the exact same families we work with. It is always a blessing to be able to share my time, talents and energy to support the families we serve throughout a variety of way.

One of these organizations is Beads of Courage, which we have wrote about quite a few times here, but we have added something new this year in working with families who also participate in this and other similar arts in medicine programs offered by different organizations.

We had a butterfly bead created, that represents our organization and can be added to any existing bead strands a child already has through the program they participate in. These beads are for children that have requested and/or received a gown from Gracie's Gowns. Children who have passed away, but a gown was requested and/or received prior to their passing also qualify for this program.

The program is at NO COST to our families, whatsoever, however, anyone that is able to help towards the bead cost and shipping expenses is always welcome to do so. We have had other families and even private donors help support this program as well with the first set of fifty beads that arrived in July.

Each bead is handmade, they are glass lampwork beads and are made by order. The colors in the photo above are the colors available: pink, blue, purple, green, and a multi-color one as well. They are absolutely GORGEOUS in person, I cannot take a single picture that does them justice.

The other item we have offered with this program, is how we got started helping these types of arts in medicine programs - a bead bag. Some families that participate in their respected programs are not provided with a bag in which to hold their strands and beads in. Many of times because the hospital is in short supply of them, or they just don't use something like that. So we have also asked whether or not a bag for the child's beads is needed. They are very simple drawstring bags, but they are so much better than using a ziploc sandwich bag or something along those lines.

We have some labels from Beads of Courage that we put on the bags for those that participate in their program, but need a bag to keep their bead strands in. For those that participate in other programs, we just put our gown label on the bag.

Our beads are not directly associated through any of the programs listed on the request form, meaning that you cannot get our bead through their program, it has to be requested through Gracie's Gowns using our request form. We order the beads when we have at least fifty requests, it is more beneficial shipping wise to us when they are ordered in larger quantitiesThe link to our form is located through this link: https://docs.google.com/a/graciesgowns.org/forms/d/1Ctc8c1rLVaXCWKpMy1C-EK85rJqi5vAex15JOxRxToY/viewformWe look forward to adding your little one to our Butterfly Bead Club!